by George Ozalla
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has shifted its regulatory focus to prioritise consumer experience, moving beyond traditional technical performance metrics.
Edoyemi Ogoh, Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity at the NCC, explained that the Commission will now evaluate factors such as ease of recharge, simplicity of service subscription, efficiency in complaint resolution, and ease of switching networks. He noted that users may have good call clarity but still view a provider negatively if basic service functions are cumbersome.
Ogoh acknowledged that infrastructure challenges remain a significant barrier to consistent user satisfaction. He cited device limitations, constrained network capacity, the impact of urbanisation and high-rise buildings, vandalism, roadworks, and community obstructions as factors that can degrade service quality. The NCC has collaborated with the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, state governments, and the Federal Ministry of Works to safeguard telecom infrastructure and reduce disruptions.
The Commission revealed that operators deployed more than 2,400 new sites in the past year and expanded existing infrastructure, signalling renewed investment after two years of slow growth. While service quality has improved, Ogoh admitted the industry has not yet reached the standard expected. Ongoing measures include stricter enforcement of compliance among operators and infrastructure firms.
The NCC also emphasised that government interventions, new fibre-optic routes, and universal access programmes will help ensure broadband infrastructure reaches beyond urban centres. Subscribers experiencing persistent issues are encouraged to escalate complaints, and the Commission has committed to greater transparency by publishing coverage maps, outage reports, operator performance, and tower-company ratings.
